Covid-19: police to take stringent action on curfew violations

Maldives Police Service (MPS) will take stringent action against those who violate the curfew announced on Wednesday.

This was revealed by Superintendent of Police, Mohamed Sameer via a press conference on Wednesday night, where the public was briefed on the latest updates of the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) situation in the Maldives.

As such, Sameer noted that violators of the three-hour curfew will be counseled the first time round, and then slapped with fines if they are caught on the streets a second time round.

The authority will be issuing specialized “stickers” for those who authorized to be outside during the curfew and action will be taken against those caught without the permit.

Maldives imposed a three-hour curfew from 5pm to 8pm in the Greater Malé Region on Wednesday afternoon, to take effect from Thursday onwards. This was done as part of the government’s efforts to curb the spread of the fatal infection, which emerged in the Maldives on 7 March.

The Director General of Public Health, Maimoona Aboobakuru announced the curfew under the powers granted to her due to the current state of public health emergency declared in the country.

The curfew bans public transportation services and gathering of more than three individuals at all times.

Authorities also revealed that some will be exempt from the curfew including security and law enforcement officers and their vehicles, health service employees and their vehicles, uniformed employees from Waste Management Corporation (WAMCO) and their vehicles, uniformed employees from Ooredoo, Dhiraagu, banks, State Trading Organization (STO), Maldives Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) and their vehicles, vehicle with government plates, diplomatic vehicles, ambulances, those with NEOC passes, pharmacy employees and vehicles as well as permit holders from the Health Protection Agency (HPA).